Ministry of Defence is rapped for
housing

Fresh bid made to save former Falklands flagship

The Ministry of Defence is being urged by MPs to resume work improving and modernising armed forces housing amid concerns that delays could damage morale.

The Commons Defence Committee said a three-year stoppage in the upgrade programme, announced earlier this year, sent the ‘wrong signal’ to service personnel and their families.

The committee said it was ‘unacceptable’ that more than 60 per cent of the forces’ single living accommodation was rated as not being in a satisfactory condition and that the MoD was unable to say when the situation would be rectified.

The News reported yesterday that soldiers and sailors living in Matapan Road, Normandy Road and Narvik Road in Hilsea are unhappy with the condition of their homes, saying that the maintenance service is inadequate.

Committee chairman James Arbuthnot said: ‘Given the fragility of morale, we recommend that the MoD should use a more effective communications strategy to keep service families in the picture.’